


Don't listen to them (what do they know)

by Emily_Davison



Series: You'll Be in My Heart [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Adopted Peter Parker, Bully Flash Thompson, Bullying, Codependency, Crying, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Flash Thompson Being A Jerk, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Grieving, Hurt/Comfort, Parent Tony Stark, Parent-Child Relationship, Past Character Death, Peter Parker Calls Tony Stark "Dad", Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Has Anxiety, Peter Parker Has Panic Attacks, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker has PTSD, Peter Parker is a Mess, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Precious Peter Parker, Press Conferences, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_Davison/pseuds/Emily_Davison
Summary: Peter and Tony have made a life for themselves after the passing of May Parker, but now Iron Man must announce to the world that he has adopted a kid and Peter becomes the media's newest subject of scrutiny.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: You'll Be in My Heart [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723405
Comments: 14
Kudos: 324





	Don't listen to them (what do they know)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys :) I'm looking forward to sharing this one as it's one of the longest chapters for both fics which I have written so far as I had quite a few things to include in this one so hope you enjoy! Just a little warning for bad language if any of that bothers you; Tony is just very protective of his kid and gets pissed when anybody hurts him!
> 
> Kudos and comments make my day <3

"Are you absolutely _certain_ you want to do this? There's nothing wrong with saying 'no' now, buddy, no-one is going to judge you," Tony spoke, earnestly, repeating words he had voiced a handful of times before and now he sounded very much like a voicemail falling on deaf ears.

Peter turned from where he was standing sitting in front of the man's dressing table, where he had been fixing his navy tie after having done it incorrectly the first time due to his nerves causing his fingers to fumble and slip over the cloth. His adopted father was sat on the edge of his queen-sized bed, already dressed in his own black suit and red tie and was now watching the teen with an intense gaze, dark chocolate brown eyes streaked with concern and the undeniable steady reassurance; the warm constant presence that had been Peter's anchor since the billionaire picked him up from the hospital.

"No, it's okay. I just feel like I should show my face so I'm not just some photo online," Peter replied, referring to about a week ago where they had been taken a trip to the grocery store, aware that they were likely to attract some attention from the public. The rare occurrence of seeing such a prolific and popular figure like Tony Stark in such domestic contexts, going to nonspecific shop with a previously unseen minor, wearing everyday scrubs and buying oven pizzas and chicken nuggets was certainly a sight which came as something of a shock for the unsuspecting shoppers. Needless to say that a few sneaky snapshots had been taken and immediately Tony's secret child (biological or not, who knew?) was introduced to the world and the genius had been furious when Peter showed him the photos of them mucking about in the aisles, instantly ringing his lawyers to get the images taken down and suggesting that he would arrange a press conference to stop Peter from being goggled at like an animal at the zoo.

Tony discussed the prospect with the teen that night, as he had promised himself that he wouldn't be arranging anything which heavily featured Peter without speaking with the boy first and gaining his consent. That was how they had gotten through dealing with the after-effects of May's death and Peter's grief - together and through communication and that was how they would approach any difficult situation which might arise. Peter's response to the likely large amounts of media attention he would be receiving as a result of announcing his identity to a camera crew and many journalists, was just as mature as the elder had come to expect from the kid, but it still surprised him with how well the teen was able to understand and even accept the fact that the media would be paying him a particularly keen interest and that aspects of his life now were no longer going to remain private. Peter merely shrugged at the suggestion of the press conference and stated that they 'might as well make it official now', before going back to his lasagna.

Tony called Pepper and Rhodey, as well as the other Avengers, to inform them of the upcoming conference and today was the day where Peter would officially be introduced to the world as Peter Benjamin Stark. The billionaire was apprehensive, because Peter had already been his son for a while now, so announcing his existence to the general public certainly wouldn't change the way he felt about him, but after having his entire life in the spotlight the last thing he wanted was to subject Peter to the same lonely adolescence he himself had endured. Peter relied on him for physical and emotional support; he had made that oath to the teen the moment he signed the adoption papers and, although Tony didn't believe that he deserved such a brilliant, thoughtful, selfless, genius kid like Peter Parker, he would do everything in his power to do right by him and ensure that his son knew that he had a Dad who loved him more than anything in the world and would always protect him from harm.

"No-body is asking you to show your face, kid. I can easily take a photo of us in and answer any questions and that is all people need to know," Tony suggested, but Peter shook his head.

"It's okay, Dad. I want to go. _I_ can answer the questions so then they can get to know me and why I live with you and then there might not be a huge uproar or whatever because I showed my face," Peter reasoned and the older man had to admit that his argument was logical and it was certainly convincing him, however, he still couldn't sway his protective paternal instinct. If any of those press members upset his little man in anyway, whether that be through asking too many questions (especially about May, considering it had only been just over a month and the kid's grief was the still raw), or by spreading false information in the papers; they would have a business tycoon and an infuriated father to answer to. 

Tony smiled, proudly, at his kid's optimism and walked over to the chair to ruffle the boy's curls, fondly. "Hey, how'd you get so smart, Pete?" He chuckled, using his thumb and fore-finger to brush a stray lock of hair behind Peter's ear, who grinned bashfully at the man's lighthearted comment. 

"Guess I learnt from the best," Peter retorted, playfully, taking his hands away from his tie so could check its appearance in the mirror. "There, how's this?"

Tony had a look and then knelt by the chair to adjust a little so there weren't any creases. "Just needs straightening out a bit." He'd argued that Peter didn't need to wear a suit, but it seemed that the kid was just as stubborn as him when he had an idea in his head and the teen persisted because he claimed that he didn't want to be the only one not wearing one in a room full of professional journalists and news reporters; Tony had no choice but to agree as he found his kid's charmingly innocent reasoning behind his reasoning too endearing not to give into. "There, you look a million dollars, kiddo," Tony announced with a beaming smile and he couldn't help but lean in and press a kiss to his son's soft cheek. He loved his kid so much and was so proud of him for how well he was dealing with every challenge the world threw at him, so he only saw it as fair that he could hug and kiss his son as often as he wanted to.

"Dad!" Peter complained, halfheartedly, snorting at the tickle of the man's goatee against his cheek and he quickly wiped the wet mark with the back of his hand, leaning back to see Tony smiling at him, unconditional love sparkling in his eyes.

"What?" The man spoke in a quizzical tone, his expression dumbfounded as he masked his awareness of the boy's obvious embarrassment. "Am I not allowed to kiss my son every once in a while?"

Peter bit his tongue to stop himself from making a negative remark, because his adopted father knew that he loved getting hugs and kisses on a daily basis; he couldn't get enough of their reliance on comfortable physical contact, so made his whining irrelevant. Tony was regarding him softly with a teasing glimmer in his eyes and the way the corner of his lips were tugged up into an impish smirk told Peter that his Dad was in a particularly playful, affectionate mood today; it was just like how Tony seemed to be able to read his mind and pick up on his so-called signs when he knew that something was bugging him. 

" _Yes_ , I suppose..." Peter drawled out and he giggled maniacally when Tony made a big show of puckering his lips, leaning in again to place lots of small kisses all over his son's face - across his cheekbones, over his fore-head and even dusting his eyelids. A bright laugh bubbled up from the elder's chest when his kid wriggled away after a few seconds, not being able to withstand the attack any longer, especially with prickly facial hair scratching his sensitive skin.

"Stop, Dad!" Peter laughed, pushing his father's face away from his own. "Your goatee is itchy, my face is all tingly now," he giggled, wiping at his cheeks to stop the tickly feeling across his cheeks.

"Alright, bud," Tony chuckled, thoughts turning to their plans for the rest of the day, heart warming at the adorable blush covering his kid's cheeks. "C'mon, let's get this bloody fiasco over and done with, eh?"

...

The conference started out well enough. Peter was visibly nervous, so much was obvious to his father because of the habits his kid often developed from his anxiety as a result of everything he had been through - chewing on his bottom lip and playing with his fingers, but he managed to maintain a steady smile when Tony invited him to join him at the table. Tony had specifically requested that they sit down for the interviews so that Peter could feel more at ease whilst being under intense scrutiny from so many people and it also allowed him to be in close proximity to his son, so he could give him all the physical contact he needed to get him through the conference.

The billionaire hadn't anticipated the overwhelming sense of nostalgia he would experience when he announced to the fifty or so reporters that he had adopted a fifteen year-old boy from Queens; many of them jumping out of their seats and shouting out numerous questions about what circumstances led to this decision. The likeness to when he revealed his alter ego many years ago to the world was uncanny, but now it wasn't just about himself anymore, it was about his legacy and his kid. The teen was visibly uncomfortable by having so many pairs of eyes on him, but he relaxed somewhat by having his Dad sit so close to him, close enough so he could rub his coarse hand on the back of the boy's neck to both comfort and reassure him. Questions ranged from discussing Peter's life with his aunt and uncle to what it was like living with Iron Man has his guardian and Peter answered each query fairly smoothly, soothed by the constant gently stroking of his neck and the warm presence of his father beside him. 

Of course, the smooth progression of events was almost too good to be true and there was one journalist, one insensitive man in his mid-thirties with a particularly permanent sour expression on his face behind his square shaped glasses, who decided to snidely prod further, obviously trying to get more readers by exploiting the youth's raw grief and fragile mindset. "Peter! Tell us more about the night you found your aunt dead in the apartment! You'd shared that home with her for the whole of your young life and how did it feel to suddenly realize that you were left on your own to fend for yourself, with no other rel-"

The rest became a white noise as Peter's senses suddenly began to overwhelm him and he could no longer hear what any of the reporters were currently yelling at him. There were too many people, too many mouths speaking nonsense words: too much. He was paralyzed to his seat, heart beating erratically, palms sweating, features frozen into a stony expression and breathing stuttered as it caught in the tightness of his chests. He could vaguely see through the glaze over his eyes that the figures had suddenly stopped mouthing meaningless dialogue; Happy and some other heads of security were rounding them up and instantly he felt warm, rough hands cupping his face and guiding it to meet the gaze of his father. "-ter? Peter? Hey, hey, it's alright, bud, it's okay. I'm right here, just focus on me, it's you and me here. Just breathe, baby. In and out, in and out..." Tony murmured, calmly, exaggerating his own breathing to encourage his stunned kid to imitate him. 

The moment the reporter has started speaking and he felt Peter immediately freeze and seize up beside him, he knew that the teen was experiencing a mix between a sensory overload and a panic attack and he decided that enough was enough. There would be no further questions if they were going to haggle his kid and step over the boundary; as soon as he managed to calm Peter down he would be having some firm words with the bastard who overstepped the mark. Tony was heartbroken when he saw tears in his son's eyes, which began to spill over as Peter attempted to control his breathing, chest heaving with barely contained sobs. "D-Dad..." Peter cried in fright, reaching forward to grasp onto the front of the man's suit jacket, hands shaking.

"Shh, shh, I'm right here, honey. It's alright..." Tony whispered, voice breaking as he pulled his kid into a tight embrace, kissing the side of the boy's head where it fit snugly between the crook of neck and his shoulder. "You did a good job, really good, kiddo. You're done, we're all done now," he reassured. He couldn't be prouder of his kid right now for putting up with all of the bullshit he had just had to endure for the past hour (although he would never use those choices of words around his son, of course...maybe the odd slip up here and there).

"I'm s-sorry, I - I j-just f-freaked out when h-he m-mentioned M-May..." Peter wept, tears streaking his cheeks red and he pressed his face closer into his Dad's neck to inhale his calming scent of expensive men's deodorant and motor oil.

"Hey, what have I told you about using that word?" Tony chided, gently, pulling back despite the teen's weak protests and whine at the loss of body heat and his father's comforting smell, so he could wipe at the boy's wet face. He certainly wasn't going to let his kid apologize for doing nothing wrong; it was just like Peter to blame himself. He had always been so unsure of himself and his anxiety during difficult situations such as these had only escalated since May's death and it broke Tony's heart when he tried to uphold the facade that he was well when he was really being torn to pieces inside. The kid was too much like him, it was often blew the elder's mind and he had to keep reminding himself that they weren't biologically related. 

"N-not to," Peter mumbled, sniffling miserably and the older man nodded in approval with a tender smile, as he brushed some fallen curls away from the boy's fore-head.

"Yep, you're damn right, kid," he agreed with a soft chuckle, calling it a success when he received a small, timid smile in return. "I love you, buddy. So much. You know that, right?" He spoke, earnestly and even though he had said it multiple times over the past few weeks and they were in a public space with Pepper and Rhodey currently observing them quietly, respecting their space, he just felt the need to say it again. Peter was his whole world now and he would do everything in his power to make sure that his kid was happy.

Peter smirked at the confession he had heart many times now and leaned forward to hug the man again, nuzzling into his shoulder. "I love you too, Dad," he whispered, pressing a kiss to his Dad's cheek which spurred the man to squeeze him that little bit tighter, chest warming at the innocent gesture of affection from his kid.

...

Although Peter's identity and current circumstances had now been revealed to the general public, it didn't automatically make his life any easier as the press were constantly trying to catch a glimpse of Tony's Stark's new 'muse', as some of the papers labelled him. Many were in pure disbelief that the 'egotistical' billionaire could take in a parent-less child with no strings attached, even if he had mostly redeemed himself from his self-destructive old ways of living in the lap of luxury; others favoured a positive approach and praised both Starks for managing to form a tight family unit in such a short space of time. Peter had been dreading going back to school after the conference, because he knew that the spotlight would be on him and he wouldn't be given the space to catch up with Ned after a month of not seeing him, but he was dropped off outside the school gates early Monday morning to avoid the unwanted attention with the reassuring reminder from his father that he could text the man as often as he liked and that he was only a call away from coming to collect him if everything became too overwhelming. 

Ned greeted him with a big, warm hug and Peter immediately returned it, the friendly gesture instantly calming his nerves and he managed to tune off his Spidey senses that were currently going haywire for the first couple classes. He did receive a few odd looks and many questions from other students about what it was really like living with Tony Stark and Peter simply answered that it was just home to him and Tony was just his Dad, so there wasn't much to expand on from there and, thankfully, no-body pushed their luck when they inquired about his aunt and only expressed their condolences for his loss. Apart from these minor inconveniences, Peter's morning passed by smoothly and he didn't get any extra attention from his teachers; he presumed because they didn't want to cause a commotion of sorts and only wished to teach their students.

However, an unexpected incident occurred at the end of his fourth science class which certainly didn't aid his already crippling anxiety. 

"You're usually a very bright student, Peter, one of my best to be honest. I just cannot understand why you would come u p with this, quite frankly, insensitive and atrocious story to cover up the hard fact that you haven't completed and handed in your final project which was assigned weeks ago!" Mr Warren lectured, low voice increasing in volume as he waved a hand in front of his face to articulate his point and Peter could feel himself getting more frustrated as he had already explained to the man why he had not even thought about his assignment, but it was like talking to a brick wall. 

"But, sir, I'm not lying to you. I do really live with Tony Stark now, I can even show you the reports to-" He began, but was instantly cut off by a heavy sigh and the man quickly mimicking the universal sign of zipped lips in the air between them.

"I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense, Peter. As far as I was aware, you were off school because you had a particularly bad case of measles and although I'm happy that you have made such a miraculous recovery, I'm astounded by this appalling attitude you appeared to have gained whilst you were away," Mr Warren continued and Peter was beyond mild irritation by this point. He had just spent all morning dealing with people when all he wanted to do was return to normality and hang out with his best friend and now his own teacher didn't even believe him when he spoke the truth.

"Well, I've told you the truth, so I don't see what the big deal is!" Peter exclaimed, blood boiling as his pent up anger overwhelmed him; he couldn't understand why this teacher wasn't informed of his personal circumstances because Tony had ensured that his headteacher had been made aware of his recent bereavement and new living arrangements. He had assured them both that all staff would be informed straight away. That's what you get for trusting people then, Peter thought glumly. 

"Watch that tone, young man. Who do you think you are, talking to a professional member of staff like this? I have a good mind to give you a week's worth of detentions to teach you some manners!" Mr Warren declared and that was the last straw for Peter. Who did this guy think _he_ was?

"You know what, screw your damn detentions! I'm outta here," the teen dismissed the man's empty threat and marched out of the door before he could be unfairly scolded any further, where he almost bowled Ned over, who had been waiting for him since he got held back. 

"Whoa, dude! You okay? I heard shouting," Ned asked, expression clouded in genuine concern, but even the reliable support of his best friend couldn't calm Peter down this time. 

"I'm fine, it's nothing," Peter grumbled, leaning against the wall and rubbing his hands over his face, vigorously, before sighing in frustration. "Just tired, you know?"

Ned smiled in understanding, squeezing his friend's shoulder, warmly. "Don't worry, we've only got a couple more classes left and then we can go home," he said.

"Yeah, sorry, man..." Peter spoke, shooting him an apologetic smile and he pushed himself off the wall so they could make their way to their next period, but if this day couldn't get any worse, now Flash had to make an appearance. 

"Parker! You gonna spill the beans then about how you became Stark's latest charity case?" Flash teased, throwing an arm around Peter's shoulders in a fake imitation of a warm friendship existing between them when it was really the furthest thing from.

"Shut up, Flash. I'm not in the mood," Peter mumbled, shaking the other boy's arm off, but he wasn't deferred from his persistent mocking.

"You know this whole adoption thing is just for the cameras and the press, right? Do you really think Iron Man has time to deal with a pathetic orphan like you? He only took you in because you gave him the 'family image', not because he felt sorry for you or cared for you," the teen goaded and Peter could practically feel his insides reaching their boiling point now.

"Leave him alone, Flash!" Ned said and Flash turned to roughly shove the other boy away.

"Shove off, porky!" The teen laughed and Peter snapped. There was no fear or anxiety anymore, only pure rage and fury at the cruelty of the treatment himself and his best friend had ensured for unjust reasons. He spun round and threw a punch at the other boy which hit him square in the face and knocked him straight to the ground - the bastard was lucky that Peter wasn't using his full strength. The kid certainly wasn't expecting it and he let out a sharp scream as he collapsed in a heap on the floor, limbs flailing everywhere and clutching his already bleeding nose.

"Whoa, man..." Ned gasped, gaze darting from the cowering boy on the floor to his friend currently nursing a pair of grazed knuckles and appearing like he could have a cloud of steam brewing above his head, he was that furious and if looks could kill, Flash wouldn't stand a chance. 

The next several minutes were like a bad dream for Peter, only this time he couldn't wake up from it. He felt like he was in the midst of another sensory overload as one of the teachers came yelling down the corridor, hauling Flash to his feet to send to the nurse and observing Peter's bruised knuckles with a vaguely surprised expression, before taking him to the headteacher's office. He was sat on a dull plastic chair, hand soaking in a bowl of cool water with ice cubes when he was informed that his father was on his way to collect him and that he was suspended from school until further notice. It was the best news he had heard all day.

...

When Tony received the phone call, he was astonished to say the least to hear that his kid had been in a physical fight and had even flawed the other boy with one punch. He knew his son better than anybody and as he drove to the school to pick Peter up, he was certain that the teen would not have become intentionally violent if he hadn't been provoked to his limits. His kid had been through enough with May's passing and the press conference and now to top it all off, he was being faced with difficulties from peers at school. Tony couldn't help but ponder on the idea of taking Peter on a holiday to get him away from all of the problems where he lived, especially because he was on an official suspension now. He definitely needed the break.

Peter was still sat on the chair with his head bowed when Tony walked in, but he had both hands resting in his lap now. "Hey, buddy," the man greeted, cautiously, not wanting to provoke the boy any further so he thought that he ought to dip his toes in the water and judge how Peter's temper was fairing now that he had had the chance to sit and relax. He moved to crouch in front on the chair, resting his hands on the teen's knees in a gesture meaning to convey his unconditional support and comfort. No matter what the kid had done, he would always love him and nothing or no-one could ever change that.

"I've had a really shit day," Peter stated, moodily; Tony could see the thin slither of tears in his kid's usually bright brown eyes and he was harshly biting his bottom lip to stop himself from crying openly.

"I know, honey, your Principal gave me quite the detailed account of what you've been up to," Tony spoke, gently, rubbing his thumb in slow soothing circles across his son's knees. He was certain that there was more to this story than the headmaster was letting on and that Peter would never have attacked another student if there wasn't good reason for it.

"Flash is just a dick, he was saying things about you that I know aren't true and then my science teacher didn't believe me when I told him about May a-and y-you..." Peter trailed off, sniffling miserably and bringing his hand up to rub at his nose and watery eyes.

"Well they're just arseholes aren't they, kid? You know that you're right and they were wrong. I swear to God I'm going to have a very in depth conversation with that headmaster of yours and get the whole thing straightened out," Tony declared, passionately, because no-body messed with his kid and got away with it. "He might be in pieces by the time I'm finished with him, bits of arms and legs everywhere," he added, lowering his voice for only Peter to hear so he could encourage a smile from the teen and his chest filled with warmth when the boy let out an adorable giggle and grinned at his corny joke.

"I don't think the janitor will appreciate that," Peter remarked amidst his chuckles, using the heels of both palms to rid his cheeks of the sticky dampness from where a few tears had escaped from his eyes and trailed down.

"Tough!" Tony grinned, glad that his kid was brightening up to his usual self and he rose to a standing position, holding his hand out for Peter to take so he could pull him up. "C'mon, bud. I want you to go wait in the car whilst I have a chat with the Principal and yes I'm _not_ going to blow him to pieces, I promise." He chuckled when his kid glanced at him in an apprehensive and almost stern manner. Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes halfheartedly and Tony turned the teen to face him. "Hey, you're alright though, bud?" He asked seriously now in a soft tone as he tenderly brushed a stubborn chestnut curl behind the boy's ear. 

"I'm always alright when you're with me, Dad," Peter admitted, quietly, wringing his hands awkwardly as a pink hue tinged both cheeks, a small smile tugging at his lips. Tony didn't think it was possible that he could love this beautiful kid anymore than he already did in that moment.

"God, you're killing me here, little spider," Tony spoke, releasing a watery chuckle, before pulling his son into a warm hug and kissing the side of his head, affectionately. "I love you so much, baby. Don't ever change," he murmured into his kid's hair and Peter giggled at this, nuzzling close. 

"I love you too and I'll try not to," Peter said.

...

"Fancy a trip to McDonald's, kid?" Tony asked, casually when he slipped into the driver's seat after a firm chat with Peter's headmaster, who had apologized profusely on behalf of Mr Warren and Flash and assured the billionaire that his son would be receiving a formal apology from both once he came back to school. The Principal suggested that Peter take a week off for his suspension as the teen had been the one to punch Flash even though he had been provoked and Tony agreed that his kid needed a little more time off to process his new position in society as Iron Man's son. He also hoped that some of the media hype surrounding the teen would have died down by then.

"Oh my God, really?!" Peter exclaimed at his Dad's suggestion, grinning from ear to ear and bouncing up and down in his seat with a newfound giddy spirit that he hadn't experienced for a long time. "I haven't had a Big Mac in so long!" His big chocolate brown eyes lit up with childlike excitement and Tony chuckled, fondly at his kid's enthusiasm as he reached back to do his seat belt.

"Yeah, buddy. I think you deserve a treat after everything that's been going on for the past few days," Tony said, switching the engine on and pulling away from the curb. "We can get a takeout and then go chill in the lab for the rest of the day, how does that sound?"

"Just like us," Peter answered, a content and satisfied smile gracing his features and Tony knew that they were going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how the adoption process and press conferences are actually arranged so apologies if there are any inaccuracies here and feel free to correct me in the comments haha


End file.
